‘CSI’ Star George Eads Takes Leave Of Absence Following Altercation

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation star George Eads reportedly won’t appear in a handful of episodes when the hit series returns this fall.

The actor’s unexpected leave of absence came after he got into a heated altercation with one of the show’s writers. Reports suggest that Eads wasn’t exactly happy with the direction his character was heading. As a result, he got into a fight with a co-writer.

News of the incident reached showrunner Carol Mendelsohn shortly after George Eads’ confrontation with the pregnant scribe went down. According to insiders, the actor reportedly threatened to quit the show following the altercation.

Although representatives from Eads’ camp have yet to comment on the situation, CBS issued a statement after reports of his brief departure started making the rounds. However, it’s unclear when the actor will return.

“George Eads will not appear in several episodes during the first half of the season. We look forward to him returning to CSI very soon,” a CBS TV rep recently explained.

CSI reached a deal with George Eads and several other stars when the show was renewed earlier this year. Since the actor’s absence from the long-running series will definitely be noticed, writers intend to address the matter when he returns at some point in the near future.

Deadline points out that there’s always the possibility that Eads may not return to CSI for its 14th season. CBS TV famously placed Blue Bloods star Jennifer Esposito on temporary leave. Unfortunately, the actress never returned to the role.

This isn’t the first time Eads has been off CSI following a problem behind-the-scenes. He was briefly kicked off the series during a salary dispute with CBS back in 2004.

Are you surprised that CSI star George Eads is on a temporary leave of absence? What do you think about the actor getting into an argument with one of the show’s writers?